The invention set forth in this specification pertains to new and improved games or game structures. More specifically it pertains to a type of game structure in which a player attempts to propel an appropriate game piece or projectile into a rotating receptacle as a lid is moved so as to periodically open and close the receptacle.
It will, of course, be recognized that probably an untold number of different games have been intended in the past. It has been long recognized that different types of games are preferable to other types of games for various specific play purposes and for use by various different age groups. One type of game which has proved particularly satisfactory for indoor play purposes by children and to some extent others is a game frequently referred to by the name "tiddly winks". In this type of game one or more individuals try to flip or propel game pieces or projectiles into an appropriate receptacle through the use of other playing pieces manipulated in such a manner as to press down upon the first mentioned game pieces.
This type of game is considered to be comparatively disadvantageous for use by comparatively young children. Frequently such children do not possess and/or cannot readily develop the desired degree of coordination necessary to propel or flip a playing piece into a receptacle by pressing down upon the playing piece with another playing piece. Further, because this game does not employ any moving parts other than the playing pieces, it does not tend to hold the attention of a child over a comparatively prolonged period. It is considered that a recognition of these factors has led to the development of a number of different prior games intended to make essentially "tiddly wink" type games more acceptable.
Certain of these prior games have involved the utilization of propulsion means such as spring loaded levers and/or release mechanisms for propelling playing pieces toward a target. It is considered, however, that the majority of efforts at improving "tiddly wink" type games has been devoted to modifying the receptacles used for such games. It is known to utilize a series of concentric rings indicating various point values as a receptacle in this type of game. It is also known to utilize target like receptacles in this type of game employing doors which open and close and concentric members one of which rotates to obtain a shutter like effect.
It would be possible to encumber this specification with a further detailed description of such games and the various related game structures. Although at least several efforts have been made to provide game structures which have the effect of opening and closing a target or receptacle it is not considered that such structures are as effective as desired in providing an attention getting effect which will tend to maintain the attention of comparatively small children. It is further considered that such structures have tended to be of such a nature as to be undesirably hard for a child to use so that a projectile is propelled into them or tend to be too easy for a child to propel a projectile into them. In this field if a child finds it either too easy or too difficult to accomplish a task involved in playing a game the child is apt to not wish to utilize the game to any significant extent.